CARE AND MAINTENANCE

My knives are almost all made from high carbon steel. This

means they can take a very fine, sharp edge that is easy to

keep razor sharp. However, they are not stainless and will

rust if not cared for properly. 

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The trade off with any high performance tool is that they need a little more maintenance and special care to remain that way. Creating little rituals to take care of your knife will enhance your connection to your cooking or crafts and ensure your knife can be passed on to the next generation proudly.   

Cleaning and storage

• Before first use, gently hand wash the blade to remove any oils.

• Never put your knife (or any kitchen knife for that matter!) in the dishwasher. The heat and water pressure will damage both the blade and the handle.

• Avoid scouring pads or abrasive cloths.

• Never soak the handle (especially timber) and dry the blade and handle straight away after cleaning.

• Don't leave your knife in the draining rack, as drops of water will form rust spots and other dishes/cutlery can chip and damage the edge.

• Store your knife in a secure place. A magnetic knife rack or block is ideal.

• Sheaths and sayas are perfect for travelling and storing between uses but not ideal for storing blades long-term.

• If storing the blade long-term, give your knife a light coat of mineral oil to protect from rust.

Edge care

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• Carbon steel may not be stainless but it has the advantage of taking a sharper edge that is far easier to maintain than your average stainless steel blades.

• My blades are made to perform their intended use to the highest standard but they aren't indestructible.    

• In the same way you wouldn't drive a Ferrari on a an off road track, thin kitchen knives should not be used for cutting bones, hard shells or frozen things.

• Likewise hunting/utility knives are not screw drivers or pry bars.

• Stropping vs sharpening

  • Stropping or Honing realigns the edge to keep the knife sharp. This can be done as often as needed to bring back the 'bite' in the edge. When this stops being effective, it's probably time to resharpen the blade. 

  • Sharpening removes metal and creates a brand new edge. If maintained with regular honing, your knife should not need sharpening very often, once or twice a year under average use.

• Use a leather or balsa wood strop or a good quality fine ceramic honing rod to maintain the edge as often as needed. 

• Sharpening is best done by hand with good quality sharpening stones. If you are not confident with this technique then practice on other knives first or send them to me. I offer free lifetime sharpening for any knife I have made provided you cover return postage.

• If you plan to do this, make sure you talk to me before you send back your knife.

• If the knife gets damaged or you have any other issues - please let me know. If the fault is mine I will fix or replace the knife.

The Patina - Food memory

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This is what gives carbon steels knives their character!

Over time, your knife will take on slight changes in

surface colour where it comes into contact with the

acids in various foods. This is simply unavoidable with

a carbon steel knife and will not affect performance in

any way - in fact, a patina gives the steel slightly

better protection from rust and is a beautiful visual

reminder of every meal it has ever prepared.